Astronomy Adventures on Tap for Isle Students during Spring Break 2008 at ʻImiloa Astronomy Center

Students are invited to spend part of their March Spring Break 2008 exploring the amazing world of science at ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, a part of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. The ʻImiloa Center is offering four programs on various topics and for differentgrade levels.

"Starry, Starry Sky" will be held on Thursday, March 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This interactive program for students in grades 1-3, begins in the planetarium, where children will learn about star patterns and how to recognize constellations in Hawaiʻi's night sky. The planetarium experience will be followed by a hands-on memory game to reinforce the starpatterns and constellation names. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Cost for this program is $5 per person.

"Explore Our Solar System," a program for students in grades 1-6, will be conducted Friday, March 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participants will first watch "Secret of the Cardboard Rocket," an animated planetarium show about two young adventurers who build a "rocket" from an old cardboard boxand "blast" off to explore the solar system. Participants will then learn about the relative sizes of planets in a hands-on activity using Play-Doh. Children in grades 1-3 must be accompanied by an adult. Students in grades 4-6 may attend on their own if a parent or legal guardian signs a releaseform when they register. Cost for this program is $5 per person.

"Kaleidoscope Adventures" is scheduled for Thursday, March 27, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. In this program for students in grades 4 and higher, participants will use mirrors to create multiple reflections, experiment with angles, and make predictions based on observations in fun, hands-on activities. Students will then apply their new knowledge to build a kaleidoscope that they can take home. Parents are welcome (and encouraged) to attend with their children. Students may attend on their own only if aparent or legal guardian signs a release form when they register. The $10 fee for this program includes a take-home kaleidoscope.

"Let's Look at Light" for students in grades 4 and higher will be held Friday, March 28, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. In these fun, hands-on optics activities, students will use lenses, lasers, and polarizers to discover the properties of visible, infrared, and other wavelengths of light. Parents are welcome (and encouraged) to attend this program with their children.Students can attend on their own only if a parent or legal guardian signs a release form when they register. Cost is $5 per person.

Mark your calendars and sign up early. Space is limited; reservations and advance payment are required. You can also register and prepay at the front desk at ʻImiloa or by phone at (808) 969-9704 using VISA or MasterCard.

ʻImiloa is located at 600 'Imiloa Place in Hilo, in the UH-Hilo Science and Technology Park off Komohana Street, and Nowelo Street, and left onto 'Imiloa Place.

For map and directions, plus more information about 'Imiloa Astronomy Center, go to www.imiloahawaii.org.